Orbital Marine wins state funding for 2-MW floating tidal turbine

Scottish firm Orbital Marine Power Ltd will get GBP 3.4 million (USD 4.2m/EUR 3.7m) in government financing to progress with what it says will be the world’s most powerful floating tidal turbine -- its O2 tidal stream unit with a capacity of 2 MW.

The tidal energy company, previously known as Scotrenewables Tidal Power, said on Monday it is the first company to win support from the Scottish government’s Saltire Tidal Energy Challenge Fund of GBP 10 million. Its plan is to install the next-generation unit at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney, Scotland, next year.

The first commercial Orbital O2 floating tidal stream turbine will have a 72-metre (236.2-ft) long floating superstructure and turbine rotors that will be capable of turning 360 degrees, allowing power to be extracted from both tidal directions. Orbital Merine expects the device to have an output that will be enough to power more than 1,700 homes per year.

Scotland-based engineering firm TEXO Group Ltd has been picked to manufacture the device, carrying out the work at its quayside facilities in Dundee.

“We believe tidal energy technology can not only play an important role in our own future energy system, but it has substantial export potential and this fund will help move tidal technologies closer to commercial deployment,” said Scotland’s Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse.

(GBP 1.0 = USD 1.225/EUR 1.102)

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